Is the Red Sea Diving Resort a Real Place?

By Michael Ferguson

If you’re a fan of espionage thrillers, you may have come across the Netflix movie “The Red Sea Diving Resort”. The movie follows the story of a group of Mossad agents who set up a fake diving resort in Sudan to smuggle Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

But is the Red Sea Diving Resort a real place? Let’s find out.

History of the Red Sea Diving Resort

The Red Sea Diving Resort was indeed a real place, located on the coast of Sudan. It was built in 1972 by Italian investors and operated as a luxury beachfront hotel. However, due to political instability and conflict in the region, the hotel was forced to shut down in 1985.

The Mossad Operation

In the early 1980s, thousands of Ethiopian Jews were seeking refuge from civil war and famine by fleeing to neighboring Sudan. However, they were stuck there as Sudanese authorities refused to grant them permission to leave for Israel.

This is when Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, came up with an audacious plan. They decided to set up a fake diving resort on the coast of Sudan called “Arous Holiday Village” as a cover for their operation to smuggle Ethiopian Jews out of Sudan.

How it Worked

Mossad agents posed as diving instructors and hotel staff while secretly using the resort’s infrastructure as part of their mission. They used boats disguised as tourist vessels to transport Ethiopian Jewish refugees from nearby beaches to waiting Israeli Navy ships in international waters.

The operation lasted for several years and successfully brought thousands of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan to Israel.

The Fate of the Red Sea Diving Resort

After Mossad ended its operation in 1985, the resort was abandoned once again. It remained untouched until 2011 when it was discovered by an Italian journalist who was investigating human trafficking in the region.

Today, the Red Sea Diving Resort is nothing more than a decaying ruin, a reminder of Mossad’s daring rescue mission and the political turmoil that forced the hotel’s closure.

Conclusion

In summary, the Red Sea Diving Resort was a real place that was used as a cover for an audacious Mossad operation to smuggle Ethiopian Jews out of Sudan. Today, it lies in ruins, a testament to both its past glory as a luxury hotel and its role in one of the most daring rescue missions in history.